Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a key component in today&#;s devices. Companies need to produce high-quality products in a short amount of time while keeping the cost of a printed circuit board low. While the process of manufacturing PCB can be complex, it is possible to simplify the process while maintaining effectiveness. You can reduce the cost of PCBs while producing a top-notch product. In this article, we&#;ll look at ways to reduce PCB costs while keeping your competitive edge.
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Manufacturing PCB can be a complex task, especially when you&#;re dealing with multiple standards and protocols. When possible, stick to the common industry standard sizes for electronic components to help manage your design complexity. Some common MSD package sizes include , , and .
You should aim to save space wherever possible but avoid narrowing down your design to the point that you have to perform multiple runs to assemble your board. Keeping your design as a square or rectangle will also help simplify the process.
You can further reduce PCB costs by selecting board material that is a cheaper option, such as FR4 or metal clad, rather than specialty material. That being said, the wider the tolerance for components, the more options will be available to you &#; 1% and 5% vs .01% and .05%.
Include substitute parts in your bill of materials (BOM) to take advantage of lower pricing and greater availability. The more information that you include in your BOM, the better. Here is a list of the most common details to include in a BOM:
Using fiducial markers, you can make it easier for manufacturers to find and place parts on the PCB.
Many circuit boards have multiple layers, which can drive up costs. Each layer requires fabrication steps, which take up time in the manufacturing process. By eliminating layers, you can reduce the turnaround time and the cost of PCB fabrication. The ideal number of layers is two because two-layer circuit boards require fewer pressing, etching, plating and overlay steps. Opt for blind and buried vias over through-hole vias to reduce your layer count.
If you are building multiple different boards, component commonality across versions will allow for greater purchasing volume and increased savings. If the component is widely available, you can shave some costs off your order.
Another way to reduce costs without compromising quality is to avoid quick turnaround times. The quicker the turnaround time, the more expensive the order. Most manufacturers usually offer a faster option along with a standard alternative. If you can afford to wait a few more days, opt for the standard lead time to reduce your costs.
The unit price and order quantity have an inverse relationship &#; the greater the quantity you order, the lower the unit price. Economies of scale will affect the cost of your order. Place an order for as much as you reasonably need rather than ordering in multiple batches. The savings could add up in the long run. It&#;s also wise to form a long-term relationship with a supplier to avoid the cost of changing suppliers.
When sending board files to a manufacturer, include a spec sheet to help ease the manufacturing process. Here is a list of some important notes to include:
Without precise specifications, the manufacturer will need to figure out the crucial details on their own, which can slow down the manufacturing process.
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Completing your board using surface mount assembly (SMT) or through-hole technology will decrease the assembly time and save you money. If possible, choose SMT over through-hole technology. It&#;s easier to find parts for SMT technology because it is ideal for most applications, so there is more demand for it. SMT assembly allows for an automated process so manufacturers can place parts faster, reducing turnaround time and costs.
A DFM check and after-assembly inspection may cost a little more upfront but potentially save a lot of money on the back end. The purpose of a DFM check is to eliminate miscommunication between the designers and manufacturers. Specialists can work together through the development and testing process and send a product back for revisions when needed. Because the feedback is in real time, you can also catch design flaws immediately and make changes before production begins, saving time and money. DFM allows you to eliminate mistakes that could lead to halts in production and wasted production runs.
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PCB design and manufacturing can be a complex process. It&#;s important to be meticulous about your processes to help you save time and money. One of the best ways to do this is to choose a reliable and experienced manufacturer.
&#;It can be done fast, it can be done cheaply, or it can be done well. Pick any two.&#; A lot of engineers use this maxim to explain why their project is behind schedule or over budget. And there is some degree of truth to it. If you want a high-quality design, it&#;s either going to take a lot of money or a lot of time to figure out how to do it for less. However, if you know a few money-saving techniques ahead of time, they can help you keep your costs down without reducing quality.
1. Use Premade Specifications. Engineers can sometimes design in a vacuum. They come up with a solution that&#;s beautiful on paper but may end up costing an arm and a leg to get it implemented. Therefore, one of the best PCB money-saving techniques you can use is to think through from the beginning how much time, effort, and money your design will take to manufacture.
For instance, when trying to solve a problem in your PCB design, ask yourself if anyone else has come across it before. Then, look to see how they solved it. It&#;s a lot easier and less time-consuming than starting from scratch every time. However, there&#;s also another practical reason to use premade design specifications. Familiar specifications can be automated in assembly, rather than placed and soldered by hand. That way, it&#;s easier, faster, and cheaper for everyone.
2. Panelize. Panelization places multiple PCBs on the same panel, in order to process them more quickly and allow for bulk manufacturing, as all of them are being processed at once, instead of one at a time. In this way, the boards can also be secured during manufacturing, as well as during shipping and assembly. Not only that, but panelization can help keep costs down. PCBs are generally priced per panel, so the more of them you can fabricate on a single panel, the less you&#;ll end up paying.
3. Get Outside Opinions. Time is money. One of the quickest ways to over-inflate your budget is to discover a mistake too late and have to go back to the drawing board to fix it. It requires more time and labor to solve the problem while increasing your time to market. So to avoid that, it helps to have an extra set of eyes: someone who isn&#;t as close to the project as your team is, and can provide a fresh perspective.
Having someone you trust from another team take a look at your design can help you catch errors and resolve problems sooner, allowing PCB money-saving techniques to happen, and reducing time to market.
4. Use the Same Assembly House for Prototyping and Production. Once your design is complete, it&#;s time for prototyping. Some designers do their prototyping in-house or use a separate assembly house for prototyping than they do for bulk design. However, assuming you&#;re confident that the design is locked in place, and there won&#;t be many changes between prototyping and production, it would behoove you to use one assembly house for both&#;and to get started on mass production as soon as possible. In general, material costs for your PCB are going to be fairly low&#;and even lower if you buy in bulk. The major cost comes from the time it takes the assembly house to put together a brand-new PCB. It takes time to review the design and clarify any points of confusion. It takes even more time to load the pick and place machine correctly. And it takes workers time to get used to the assembly and get into the groove of production. If you start them off with prototyping, then by the time they get to mass production, the assembly process will go much faster, saving you time and money.5. Bring the Manufacturer into the Process. This comes back again to not designing in a vacuum. Provide the manufacturer with helpful information that will aid them in producing your PCB design: any issues, special requirements, or causes for concern. They might be able to offer suggestions to mitigate these issues&#;as well as point out other issues or problems that you hadn&#;t anticipated.
For example, one of the materials you need may be running low, making it difficult to create at an affordable rate or delaying your project. The manufacturer would know about this and could suggest a substitute material that does the same job but costs less.
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